Don't Go in the Woods

I met Hazel a year after I had gotten out of the foster system, I was working in a restaurant as a busboy, the garbage needed to be taken out and guess who had to take it out--in the rain--in the forty degree weather? Yup, I had too. I thank God I did, Hazel was sitting in the rain, her head tilted up looking into the dark sky, rain soaking her body. She was wearing dark jeans, with her knees pulled up her chest. Her presence made me nervous, so I decided to play it cool, just throw the garbage over my shoulder and into the dumpster with one hand. I didn't say anything to her, I barely gave her a sideways glance, but when I turned to walk back into the door, I caught her eye. She was staring at me, and my body was caught in mid turn, we just stood there, staring at one another, her blue eyes locked with my gray ones.

I felt a bit of nervousness rise in my throat, those eyes, they frightened me. I wasn't a skinny guy, I was relatively large, and I could hold my own, especially when I started working in the restaurant. I do a lot of carrying things around. But this wet, ragged looking girl had caused me to actually be frighted of her, her eyes had captured me. Her lips parted and the quiet words formed on her lips, "I'd prefer if you didn't stare so blankly at me."

I felt my cheeks flush a little, if they weren't already red from the cold night. "Uh, are you okay?" I remember asking, glancing over my shoulder. Maybe I could sneak some food out for her, why was she alone? Was she some prostitute or druggie?

She let out a bit of a breathy laugh, "I guess, I mean, for a girl hanging out in a dark rainy alley." The girl said, shifting so she was standing. Her exposed arms were slick with rain and her body was shaking slightly, glinting in the street lamp a few yards away. "Name's Hazel. See you later busboy." she said, turning and disappearing out of the alley and into the late night street.

I was surprised by her leaving, I was a bit relived by her going, so those strong eyes were no longer on my frame, shrinking me down to a much smaller size. But the next few nights I would make the excuse to go out into the alley, I would just stick my head out the door, checking between shifts. And only a few times every few weeks would I see Hazel standing there, up against the brick wall, one day I got the nerve to talk to her, and I gave a name, one that was not my real one, since she gave me the option. I picked Gage, since I saw a man walking by with large gage's in his ears. I know, extremely dumb, but whatever. I like the name Gage now. "So, Hazel. Why are you here, what's up with you hanging around this alley," I finally asked one day, it was almost Christmas, in fact, tomorrow was Christmas Eve. I wanted to ask her if she had a place to go for holiday.

"I was in the foster system, it wasn't my gig, so I ran away. I used to live with a family in PA." She shrugged.

"So you're homeless?" I blurted out, biting my bottom lip.

She chuckled, "No actually. I have a home."

"You're lying." I said, crossing my arms.

Hazel shook her head, "Nope, I'm being completely honest. What about you? Perfect family, getting a job to pay off student loans?" She asked, titling her head slightly.

I laughed, "No hardly, I was in the foster system too, but I'm eighteen so I chose to leave it. I'm staying in a home with a family that rents out their basement. I'm paying for that and taking a few classes at the community collage."

Hazel smiled, "Good for you. Well, I gotta go Gage. See you later busboy." She said, slapping her crossed legs and standing with a slight grunt.

I watched her make her way to the edge of the alley and stopped her, "Hazel wait." I began, catching up to her, "Do you have anyone to spend Christmas with? I mean, we can have dinner, nothing special." I said, my breath coming out in wisps.

"I'll see you Christmas Eve. We'll spend it at my place." She said with a smile. Before I could even respond Hazel had jogged down to the edge of the street and turned the corner, her blonde hair flying around her rosy cheeks.

Christmas was fun, the cabin was nice, and I began to realize that Hazel was really independent. She wasn't scared of me and her stare no longer made me as uncomfortable as they used too. A few weeks later I got kicked out of my room in the basement because the homeowners were moving across town. Hazel took me in, realizing I was now homeless. "Only until you find a new place." She had told me, weeks passed and I never did find a place and Hazel never brought it up again. We were to close of friends to go away. So our little family started.